5 of the Best E-readers for Every Budget

Whether you’re a chronic traveller who loves to read but doesn’t want to lug 16 kilos of paper books around, or you just want a convenient way to carry all of your favourite books with you, there’s no denying that the e-reader has quickly become one of life’s most essential pieces of gadgetry.

If you’re in the market for new tablets or e-readers, but are unsure of which one is best for you, you’re in luck – We’ve taken a look at all the best options for e-reading goodness, and we’ve put together a list of the best e-readers to suit every budget, whether you want to splurge on a fully functioning tablet device, or spend your pennies on an e-reader that’s as cheap as chips.

Under $500: iPad Mini

Perfect if you’re a fan of multitasking, and you want your e-reader to have full tablet functionality, you can’t go past the iPad Mini. Small, light and ultra-portable, the iPad mini not only gives you easy access to millions of e-books and magazines in the palm of your hand, but it also gives you all the functionality and features of a regular-sized iPad, including web browsing, email, and all the endless glory and wonder of iTunes app store. The one drawback of using the Mini as an e-reader is that many people find it hard to read in sunlight because of the highly reflective glass-screen, but a cheap matte screen protector should help you out a little in the glare department.

Under $300: Sony Reader Edition PRS-300

Who knew Sony made an e-reader? And quite a good one at that! With its sharp 5-inch screen, the Sony Reader Pocket Edition is even more compact than the Kindle 2, and easily fits in one hand when reading. It has adjustable screen fonts and a long battery life, and it also comes in a range of colours, for those who like to colour-coordinate their e-readers to the rest of their outfit, gadgets or home furnishings…

Under $200: Kindle Paperwhite 6 inch WiFi Reader

The new Kindle Paperwhite is quickly becoming one of the most popular e-readers out there. With a new kind of light that shines towards the display from above the screen instead of projecting light on the screen from behind it, it means that your eyes won’t suffer from as much “screen fatigue” as they would with other backlit screens. You can also adjust your screen’s brightness to create your own perfect reading experience in all kinds of lighting conditions, including bright outdoor sunlight.

Under $100: Nook Simple Touch

Barnes & Nobles’ addition to the e-reader marketplace has proven to be a great one, especially when you look at the success of their Nook Simple Touch e-reader. It features an extremely crisp screen which allows you to read onscreen text clearly and with no glare, even outdoors in bright sunlight. It’s also ultra-light and comfortable to hold with one hand, has an easy to-use touchscreen, and a battery life of over 2 months on a single charge. You can also use the built in WiFi to download from a selection of over 3 million books.

Under $50 (They do exist!): Txtr Beagle

Budget hunters rejoice! We’ve found an e-reader that’s cheap enough to give away in the goody bags at your kids’ birthday parties. The world’s cheapest AND smallest e-reader is the Beagle, created by German company Txtr, and it’s the go-to option for those who like their gadgets seriously no-frills and no-fuss. While it doesn’t have any special features like 3G or WiFi capability, a backlight, touchscreen, or rechargeable batteries (it takes three AAA batteries, old-school style), the Txtr Beagle does offer up a solid 4GB of storage, all within a casing that’s just 5mm thick and light as a feather. Besides, at just $13 – you can’t really go wrong, can you?

What are some of your favourite e-readers that offer up the most features for the best price?

About the author

Milana Rose, AppLecture news editor. Kind, sympathetic and very inquisitive person, who loves to help people with the "computer", and not only those challenges sufficiently due to her knowledge. Hobbies - Apple products, drawing, dancing, swimming, a healthy lifestyle. In a private use - MacBook Air, iPad 2, iPhone 4, iPod Nano 5, iPod touch, Mac Mini.